confident he's doing the right thing for syria, the u.n. says more than 4,000 have died in the past nine months in an interview with barbara walters he distanced himself from the bloodshed. >> do you think that your forces cracked down too hard? >> they are not my forces. they are military forces belong to the government. i don't own them, i'm president. >> reporter: assad did admit mistakes have been made but doesn't feel guilty because he says he's doing his best to protect his people. few have been allowed in. amateur video, cell phone clips on line most sent out by the opposition which says they show syrian security forces killing peaceful protesters. assad says while some of the protests have been peaceful his forces are fighting militants, dug smugglers and terrorists. >> -- drug smugglers and terrorists. >> we don't kill our i'm. >> reporter: the president said we could travel wherever we want in his country. we were joined by a big police presence the birthplace of the uprising. people are terrified of speaking. i was able to talk t